The Beautiful Fall: A Challenged Fic
by Abare Killer
Summary: This was challenged to my by Dark Mistress from RangerPower.


A/N: This fic was challenged to me by Dark Mistress from Ranger-Power. The challenge was this:

Title: (You choose)  
Characters: Jack/Z  
First line in story (either dialogue or action. If dialogue, specify who says it):  
"Oh SNAP!" Z yelled as she tripped and fell  
Last line in story (same as above) (optional): (Got none)

Enjoy!

The Beautiful Fall

"Oh SNAP!" Z yelled as she tripped and fell. Tumbling down the stairs, her mind jumbled and shook as much as her body was. As she hit the bottom, a loud, sickening crack was heard, drowning out the calls of her friends as they flew down the stairs after her. Z cried out in pain, clutching her leg. Even though she had never broken a bone before, she was certain that her leg was broken now. She shut her eyes and winced from the pain, fighting back the tears that were forming in her eyes. It wasn't long before Jack was by her side, kneeling next to her, a concerned look on his face.

"Z, are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle and sincere. Z only looked at him and shook her head. She was afraid to speak, knowing that the moment she did, she would start really crying. More than anything, she didn't want Jack to see her cry. He smiled reassuringly at her as he lifted her gently into his arms. "We have to get you to the sick bay," he said, even though it was obvious. The others followed, worried looks on their faces. Suddenly, the world began to cloud up before Z's eyes, and it wasn't long before she entirely blacked out.

Z opened her eyes slowly, placing her hand to her head. Turning to the side, she saw that Jack was sitting next to her, smiling that sweet smile of his. He was so cute when he smiled like that…

Z shook her head a little. Did she really just think that? _Weird…_she thought. Sighing, she tried to sit up. As soon as she did, she felt an extreme pain in her right leg. Stifling a cry, she fell back down quickly, grabbing her leg with both hands. To her surprise, she felt not her skin but smooth, thick plaster. Pulling the blanket off of her, she saw that her leg had had a cast put on it. She groaned.

"Great," she said. "Now, how am I supposed to fight with you guys?"

"It's okay," Jack told her, gently forcing her back into a laying down position. "We'll manage without you for a while, somehow." His smile was kind, and Z was reassured. She lay back on the pillows, allowing Jack to pull the blanket back over her legs.

"But, what am I going to do here all by myself while you guys are out fighting crime and having adventures? I'm going to be so bored…" Her voice trailed off. Jack laughed a little.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm here now. I'll entertain you until something comes up." He chuckled, and Z laughed with him.

Much to their surprise, though, neither one could think of anything to say. It felt weird. In all the time they had known each other, they had never been at a loss for words like they were now. Silence filled the room as they stared off in opposite directions, saying nothing. At last, Jack broke the silence.

"So, what are you thinking about?" he asked, looking at Z. She turned to him and smiled, and Jack almost thought he saw her blush a little. He thought he must be wrong, though. He had known Z for years now, and he had never seen her blush before.

"Nothing," she answered, staring up at the ceiling.

"I don't believe you," Jack said, grinning. "I know you, Z, and you're always thinking about something." The two laughed again, a bit shyly, almost. "So, are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Actually," she said, "I was thinking about you." This time, Jack was sure he saw her blushing. He stared at her in confusion for a second, not knowing how to respond.

"About me?" he asked in a confused tone. "What about me?" He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks as well. Z thought for a second before responding.

"Jack, we've been friends for so long now. You're the only person I've ever let get close to me. For a long time, I thought of you as a brother, but now…" She paused, looking away, her face turning bright pink. "Now, I've realized that it's more than that. You're more than just a friend to me. I…I love you, Jack." Tears welled up in her eyes as she said this, and her face felt hot. At first, Jack said nothing. He just sat there, looking at her. Then, he smiled and put his hand on hers.

"I love you too, Z," he said, his voice gentle and sincere. Z smiled back at him and sat up carefully. After a few moments of just looking at each other, Jack leaned forward and kissed Z tenderly on the lips. She kissed him back happily, and their kiss lasted for several moments. At last, they pulled away, smiling at each other. Tears of joy were flowing freely from Z's eyes now. Jack put his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Jack?" she said in a quiet voice.

"Yes, Z?"

"I'm glad I fell."


End file.
